The Government has today released a disappointing Forever Chemical Action Plan which will leave people and nature exposed to forever chemicals The action plan does not address PFAS emissions at source but instead leans heavily on more monitoring and guidance.

Three years on from the Environmental Improvement Plan, ambition alone isn’t enough. Without nature, climate and sustainability embedded across education, green skills and nature recovery targets won’t be met. Read more in our blog here: wcl.org.uk/education-ma...

The largest water industry settlement is being paid for by customers, but what will it deliver for nature? Our latest blog explains why clearer, more transparent reporting on environmental outcomes is essential. Find the blog here: wcl.org.uk/clear-waters...

Government quietly released a report today. Just 3% of the most important habitat for wildlife is in good condition. This must change or wildlife will be lost forever. Don’t let this report slip under the radar: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697206...

Everyone deserves clean water, now ‼️ The Water White Paper is out today with Government calling the proposals the “biggest overhaul in a generation”, but Wildlife and Countryside Link believe much more needs to be done. 🔗 Read our full statement here: www.wcl.org.uk/the-british-...

This Blue Monday, one thing is clear: connecting with blue spaces helps wellbeing and mental health. Not just today, but all year round. When these places are clean, safe, well-maintained and accessible, they offer powerful benefits for people and communities. How do blue spaces make you feel?

📣 Nature targets are not optional – they are the law 📜 Will this Government be the first ever to break the law by missing legally binding nature targets? The Office of Environmental Protection warns today that much more action is needed. 🔗Read more here: tinyurl.com/WCLresponse

🌱The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is back this June and will prioritise smaller farms. After a year of uncertainty for agriculture, this is a win - but government must now invest more and put nature first, not just for business as usual. 🔗Full response here: www.wcl.org.uk/farm-payment...

Christmas has come early for animals🎄🐾 We welcome the Government’s new ambitious Animal Welfare Strategy, with commitments to: ✅Transition away from cages for hens and mother pigs ✅ Introduce a closed season for hares ✅ Ban trail hunting

The Government has partially backed away from weakening Biodiversity Net Gain – but nature still loses out. Exempting developments under 0.2ha risks hollowing out one of England’s most important nature protections🐝🌱 1/4🧵

🚨 CODE RED FOR NATURE 🚨 We are worried that Gov will weaken Biodiversity Net Gain — or remove small sites entirely! Gutting BNG would: ❌ collapse investment ❌ stall nature recovery ❌ send a catastrophic signal to markets This cannot happen.

From carrier bag charges to bans on single-use plastics, we’ve made real progress in tackling marine litter — but the problem is far from over 🌊 💙 Catherine Gemmell, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, reflects on what must happen next to protect our seas

🐬 4 years after going out for consultation the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy has been published.   📄 The final document lacks any new commitments from the UK Governments to reduce threats to dolphins, whales and porpoises.

Today we’ve joined with over 160 orgs to urge UK Gov to secure a healthier, fairer, more sustainable food system We’re united behind 3 priorities: 🌱 A joined-up food & farming plan 🌾 Nature-friendly farming 🥗 Healthy diets for everyone Read the letter here: www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Food_St...

England’s protected site system isn’t failing – it’s being failed. And the consequences for nature are severe ⤵️

WCL CEO Richard Benwell on #BBCPoliticsLive today: “You can increase habitat, benefits for people, and get development working under the current law.” Our message is clear: nature and good planning go hand-in-hand

The Environmental Improvement Plan is out🎉 We took the Government to court over the last one. This time, warm words won’t cut it – nature needs delivery. 1/5 🧵

25yrs ago the Countryside Rights of Way Act opened up landscapes for public access – but left many without a right to enjoy inland waters💧 Today we remember that milestone – and renew the call for fair access to inland waters. Read more by Ben Seal, @PaddleUK: www.wcl.org.uk/the-crow-act...

The Planning & Infrastructure Bill will soon be law, but huge amounts of detail remain to be decided. Government needs to minimise environmental risk and uncertainty, as well as ensure that safeguards for wildlife are upheld. With nature in decline, we can't afford to leave it to chance.

UK waters are reeling from #nurdle & #biobead spills 🌊 Both are #microplastics and both are too often spilled into the environment. But they come from different industries. Our new blog explores the key differences 👉 www.nurdlehunt.org.uk/news/uk-reel... 📸 C Buckingham & Clacton litter pickers

Good news! Danny Chambers 'Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill' has passed today. It's good to see Government deliver a manifesto promise for animal welfare. We hope that the forthcoming Animal Welfare Strategy is ambitious in creating a better world for animals.

Yes! Hilary McGrady and the National Trust are right. Nature isn't a blocker to development - it's fundamental to a healthy, thriving economy. The Chancellor must stop bat-bashing and instead embrace people's love of nature and the economic opportunity that it brings.🌳

📢 Over 80 conservation organisations, land-managers and rural businesses have written to Government to warn that exempting sub-0.5 ha sites from BNG would remove 97% of planning applications from the UK’s only national nature compliance market.

GYBN UK are excited to become a member of Wildlife and Countryside Link, the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England with more than 90 members. We are looking forward to working with WCL and its members, and to providing youth-led perspectives. #youthcandoit @wclnews.bsky.social

📢As the Aarhus Convention MOP kicks off next week, we're supporting this joint letter from 40+ NGOs to the UK PM, urging him to uphold the Convention for the good of environmental justice. 🧵

I’ve just announced I’ll be leading a National Emergency Briefing on 27 November . At a time when climate is in free fall on the political agenda , it’s vital our leaders realise what is at stake if we do not accelerate a just , green transition for all . @nebriefing.bsky.social 🇬🇧

Tackling wildlife crime means tackling organised crime❗ Wildlife crime offenders are involved in other serious crimes: 💥 59% linked to violence 💰 58% linked to theft or criminal damage 🐇 For poaching and hare coursing, that rises to over 70% 🚨 27% have links to domestic violence

2,000 crimes against wildlife were reported last year, with just 2% of these leading to convictions (exc fisheries) ⚖️ We need wildlife crime to be notifiable to the Home Office, to aid police response & ensure justice for nature 👮♀️ Read more 👇 www.wcl.org.uk/wildlife-cri...

💷Its Buy Nothing New Month with @keepbritaintidy.bsky.social 🌳Did you know resource extraction and processing is responsible for 90% of biodiversity loss? 🛠 Thats why we should reduce, repair, and reuse! 🚫See if you can buy nothing new this month! Find out more: www.wcl.org.uk/docs/assets/...

📗 New report by @britishecologicalsociety.org & @nationaltrust.org.uk Time to rethink nature conservation? Ecologists call for an ecosystem approach to halt UK wildlife decline and protect the vital services nature provides us💚 👉 Read here: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/time-to-reth...

Our CEO, Richard Benwell, features in the Winter issue of @ciwem.bsky.social The Environment 🌿 He speaks about rebuilding trust over planning reform, putting nature at the heart of green growth, and how government can turn ambition into action. 🗞️ Read the interview here

500 govt meetings with oil lobbyists last year ✓ 22 new oil fields pending ✓ 8 fields in or next to marine PROTECTED areas ✓ Our govt considering the true ocean impact ❌ Game over. The #OilFieldFiles are public. 📧 Email your MP to stop this → act.oceana.org/page/171529/...

📢 40+ NGOs have written to the PM urging him to uphold the Aarhus Convention – the cornerstone of environmental justice The Convention protects your right to: ✅ Access environmental information ✅ Have a say in decisions that affect nature ✅ Seek environmental justice affordably

Locking cattle indoors and calling it ‘progress’? 🚫 In his blog post for @wclnews.bsky.social, Anthony Field, Head of our UK Team, warns that the Government’s methane plan risks worsening animal welfare while doing little for the planet. Read the full blog: bit.ly/43LuBrE

“We cannot keep with this business-as-usual approach. It’s simply not working.” In his latest blog, Anthony Field @ciwf warns that Government’s methane plan risks worsening animal welfare without tackling the challenge of carbon emissions from cattle 🔗Read more: www.wcl.org.uk/a-more-robus...

Dental fillings are taking a bite out of our river health🦷 Research shows that fish & mussels across the UK contain high levels of mercury – commonly used in fillings❗ The UK must match other countries & ban mercury from our teeth 👇 www.wcl.org.uk/mercury-fill...

Amendment 130 has passed in the House of Lords 🎉 The Lords have voted decisively that the Govt's new approach on planning - Environmental Delivery Plans - must only apply to water and air issues. Their message is clear: planning reform must not put species and habitats in the firing line.

🚨 The Govt has just published its Carbon Budget Delivery Plan - we are calling for nature to be at the heart of net zero “Only nature can put the ‘net’ in ‘net zero’, by restoring landscapes with woodlands, peatlands, wetlands and wildflower meadows" Read here👇 www.wcl.org.uk/only-nature-...

Young people are having to live with low access to nature, this needs to change. We all know that spending time outdoors in green and blue spaces can have incredible impacts on our wellbeing, yet young homebuyers are being priced out of areas with good access to nature. @wclnews.bsky.social

📄 Alongside 10 other health and environment charities we have written to the Govt urging it to match the EU’s new Toy Safety Regulation 🌍Restricting harmful chemicals in toys is vital for protecting both children and nature from harmful chemicals 💚 Read the letter here: tinyurl.com/5ckcct8f

The #PlanningBill is in its final days in the Lords. This is the last real chance to make sure England’s planning system helps – not harms – nature. 🌿 We’re backing key amendments to put promises into law and secure nature’s place in planning. 🔗 wcl.org.uk/planning-and...

First-time buyers are forced to choose homes in nature-poor areas 🥀 Far too often, affordable = low access to nature 🏠 This leaves younger homebuyers at higher risk of health issues including depression & anxiety❗ Planning reforms must integrate parks & nature into developments👇 buff.ly/NVWciBu

Some holey bricks (like air bricks) are in building regulation while others are not Swift bricks would help endangered species recover, but are not in regulations Planning reforms must get #WilderByDesign - including regulation for nature-friendly design like swift bricks to be in new developments

New analysis by @friends-earth.bsky.social shows the multitude of environmental threats facing communities across the UK❗ From flooding in Boston to sewage pollution in Devon, the data shows the urgent need for a strong Climate Action Plan🌧️ Read more👇 uk.news.yahoo.com/public-facin...

Our Partnerships Director, Isaac Beevor, was quoted in the @labourlist.bsky.social yesterday alongside Richard Benwell from Wildlife and Countryside Link! Together, they make the case for the Devolution Bill to be strengthened so that all local authorities have a climate and nature statutory duty.

Plans for new penalties for water companies are good, but we need to stop pollution being an acceptable business cost🪙 This means strong enforcement firmly on the table in cases of serious harm to rivers💦 Fines must be ringfenced to restore our rivers🐟 www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

🚨A decisive judgment for wildlife laws🌿 Today’s Supreme Court ruling in C G Fry & Son Ltd v SSCLG confirms that developers must assess environmental impacts of developments that affect protected habitats at all stages of the planning process – not just the start. 🔗 www.wcl.org.uk/decisive-sup...

Alongside @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social, @nationaltrust.org.uk & @wclnews.bsky.social, we’ve responded to @georgemonbiot.bsky.social 's piece on the Planning Bill. He’s right: it’s a grave threat to nature. But we’ve never been silent. We’ve challenged it at every turn & we won’t stop now.

The proposed Nature Restoration Levy could accelerate the decline of vulnerable wildlife if applied to the wrong species🚨 We’re calling on Government to back up planning reforms with evidence & field trials to deliver on promise to boost nature & building in tandem 🏡 www.wcl.org.uk/evidence-bla...

Environment groups team up with industry for a letter calling on Government to deliver planned policies on packaging extended producer responsibility (pEPR) on time & with increased ambition. This would help to: 🗑️ Reduce waste 🧴 Increase reuse ♻️ Increase recycling www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Industr...